The bean-sized raindrops fell all through the night, and then for an entire day, showing no sign of ceasing by evening. With the arrival of such a deluge, the temperature across the land dropped with alarming speed.

Nearly all the demons at the border defenses had retreated into their barracks. Some of the Beliya demons had simply burrowed into their bedding or gathered around braziers for warmth.

On the high watchtower, a Beliya demon soldier paced back and forth in the limited space, arms wrapped tightly around himself, attempting to ward off the chill. He occasionally let out a grumble, "This undead weather! It's barely autumn, how can one rain make it this cold? We're freezing to death! I wish I could just go back to sleep." Through the torrential downpour, a carriage struggled forward on the muddy road, finally halting at the demons' border line.

A Beliya demon peered down from the watchtower, glaring at the merchant's carriage parked at the checkpoint. He spat a thick, foul stream of saliva, hunched his shoulders against the biting wind, and slowly descended the tower stairs, hands tucked firmly under his arms. "Doing business in this weather? The merchants of the Zhence Dynasty are truly mad!"

"Where are you from?" the Beliya demon demanded, his tone hostile. Impatient, he strode toward the cargo loaded behind the carriage, drew the spear he had tucked under his arm, and prepared to jab it into the goods.

A single gold bar, glistening in the downpour, was presented before the Beliya demon. The tip of his spear, poised to strike, froze mid-air. His large eyes shone with avarice as he stared at the gold, gulping audibly. For a moment, he forgot the urgent orders issued just yesterday: inspect every person, item, and caravan passing the checkpoint with meticulous care.

Qian Jin imitated Fatty Liang’s genial, money-making smile, holding the gold bar reverently in both hands while watching the demon, remaining hyper-vigilant about the demon’s next move. If the demon took the gold and let them pass, so much the better. Otherwise, he feared he might have to launch a surprise attack to force their way through. Killing this one demon wouldn't be hard, but the fear was that it might alert the others...

Thousands of demons were stationed here. With swords, spears, and arrows all leveled at them, even his Vajra Body Manifestation, powered by the Nine Wars Against Demons technique, wouldn't prevent him from being turned into a pincushion or a hornet's nest. Even if he could escape, the three figures lying beneath the straw would surely not survive.

Gold! One complete gold bar was equivalent to one hundred gold coins! The Beliya demon’s breathing grew ragged as he gazed at the bar. One hundred gold coins! How long would a soldier have to serve to earn that much money?

"General, enduring this harsh storm to personally patrol here and grant your subordinate demon soldiers leave. Such care for your troops truly moves me," Qian Jin said with a smile, though he felt goosebumps rise on his skin. He couldn't believe he could utter such flattery; even Fatty Luo would admire his skill!

"General?" The Beliya demon paused, a pleased smile spreading across his face. He grew happier the more Qian Jin spoke, his chin naturally jutting upward. He grunted a couple of noncommittal affirmations: "You're not bad either, traveling so far in this rain."

"Earning a few small coins, just enough to scrape by. It is you who truly labors, General," Qian Jin chuckled softly, secretly surveying the surroundings, worried that more demons might suddenly appear. Though the Beliya demons were notoriously lazy, what if one happened to be drunk and came out for a necessary relief?

The Beliya demon chuckled as he accepted the gold bar. Hearing Qian Jin address him as "General" again and again felt wonderfully invigorating; he felt as if every hair on his body was trying to stand up. In that moment, he even forgot the cold biting him from the rain. The more he looked at Qian Jin, the more agreeable the traveler seemed. He asked solicitously, "What cargo do you have in the cart?"

"Just a little bit of River Fruit from our Lucifer Dynasty, you know how it is. These fruits sell for a very good price over there," Qian Jin replied, his inner guard hardening rather than lessening.

"River Fruit?" The Beliya demon nodded and smiled. "It is a fine thing, a fruit only found in our great Lucifer Dynasty."

"Precisely, precisely." Qian Jin maintained his ingratiating smile, growing slightly impatient internally. "That's why we must rush; if they rot, we lose everything."

The Beliya demon smiled. River Fruit did sell well in the Zhence Dynasty for gold, but to make one hundred gold coins from one cartload? Even a fool wouldn't believe that!

Qian Jin looked at the demon soldier and subtly bent his body lower in a posture of deference, quietly preparing his thunderous countermeasure. If the demon showed any sign of suspicion, he would immediately strike with lethal force to break through the pass!

One gold bar! The rough fingers of the Beliya demon soldier stroked the bar repeatedly. If he insisted on searching the cart, any significant discovery would mostly result in credit being taken by his superiors. How many coins would he actually see? But if he let them pass, it was one hundred gold coins immediately!

A few coins versus one hundred gold coins—which to choose? The Beliya demon soldier laughed. "Yes, these fruits are certainly time-sensitive. It is best to depart quickly. I will open the checkpoint for you now."

Qian Jin felt the tightness in his chest lessen by half. He urged the carriage forward slowly as they passed the checkpoint. The Beliya demon stood behind the barrier, carefully tucking the gold bar into his robes. Then, he waved his hand high and called out softly, "There are many bandits beyond the border; you must be careful. If you do business here again, remember to use this checkpoint. I can guarantee the safety of your goods going in and out." Qian Jin quickly turned back. "Very well, General. May I ask your distinguished name?"

"Me? Bang! Bang Xue Da!" The Beliya demon proudly announced his name, puffing out his chest slightly.

"I remember, General. Qian Jin," Qian Jin said, turning back to the carriage and smiling. Bang? The Beliya race did have that surname, but it was considered a lowly one—the lowest rank in Beliya society. It seemed those few calls of 'General' had done quite a bit of work.

Bang Xue Da happily blew hot air onto the gold bar, polishing it with his sleeve, then carefully tucked it into his robes, a look of deep satisfaction on his face as he walked back to the watchtower.

The clamor of hooves crushing mud, splashing water high, sounded like rolling thunder emerging from the downpour. Bang Xue Da quickly cupped his hands over his eyes and stared out. A chill swept in through his crooked, yellowed teeth, catching in his throat. He gasped aloud, "Black Wind! It's Black Wind!"

On black warhorses, bandits clad in black wooden armor galloped through the heavy rain. The distinctive insignia of the bandit group, already soaked, still flapped bravely in the wind, the dense rain failing to obscure the imposing characters: [Black Wind].

The Ten Great Bandit Groups of the Outer Regions were not only famous in this narrow, lawless zone but were also well-known among the border troops of both the Lucifer Dynasty and the Zhence Dynasty.

The rain intensified. Bang Xue Da’s vision blurred in the storm. A rare shadow of sorrow crossed his face. He reached into his robes and touched the gold bar, then shook his head and sighed. "Alas, it seems there will be no chance to receive another gold bar. Black Wind is notorious for leaving no survivors."

Black Wind! Sitting in the carriage, Qian Jin watched the dozen or so Black Wind members rapidly approaching. His eyebrows arched in surprise and confusion. These were the very squad members of Hua Yan Bu Jian!

Their black soft armor, scoured by the torrential rain, clung tightly to their bodies, outlining figures whose curves even Gu Yue Jia Ying could not rival. Their long, elastic legs straddled their warhorses on either side, and their faces remained hidden behind the shining black metal masks.

The warhorses halted their wild charge, nervously shifting their weight on the mud-soaked ground, kicking up countless splashes of mire.

Behind Hua Yan Bu Jian's black metal mask, a pair of beautiful eyes flashed with a welcoming smile: "Well, what a coincidence? We meet again."

Qian Jin sat huddled in the carriage, holding the reins, watching Hua Yan Bu Jian silently. He mused that these people hadn't simply stumbled upon them by chance. While the Lucifer Dynasty wouldn't send armies into this chaotic Outer Region to suppress the Black Wind Bandits, they certainly wouldn't object to eliminating bandit groups that dared to approach their imperial defensive fortifications so closely.

"I heard that the Dark Division lost one two-star operative and three regular Dark Division members. Was that your doing?" Hua Yan Bu Jian's crisp voice cut through the noise of the downpour, impossible to suppress. "What about the others? Were they injured? I heard the Dark Division conducted a site investigation, suggesting the attackers were severely wounded as well."

Qian Jin gained a deeper understanding of the Dark Division once more. He had assumed that the death of one of their members would be considered a shameful incident, hushed up and dealt with only by sending operatives to hunt down the culprits. He hadn't expected them to broadcast the news so openly. What a specialized department of demons that completely prioritizes results while utterly ignoring process.

"Do you know? The Dark Division has offered a very high price for the head of the attacker," Hua Yan Bu Jian said, covering the mouth of her metal mask with a pale hand and smiling. "Many bandits are currently hunting for the attacker. I immediately thought it must have been you, so I brought people here specifically to wait for you."

"And then?" Qian Jin raised his eyelids casually, showing no sign of tension.

"And then?" Hua Yan Bu Jian laughed delightedly again. "Aren't you afraid? Your companions are beneath that damp straw right now, aren't they? Perhaps you believe your abilities are enough to escape, but can you drag them along to safety?"

"Afraid? Why should I be afraid?" A flicker of profound confusion finally marred Qian Jin's calm face. "I just don't understand. Since you aren't here to fight me, why appear? Is it simply to deliver this message? But what puzzles me more is why you would tell me this. What do you want from me?"

"Can't figure it out? I'll tell you: Our Captain has taken an interest in you."

"Our Captain has been waiting for you!"

The bandit group erupted in unrestrained jeering. Even Qian Jin, who considered himself thick-skinned, felt a touch of awkwardness. These bandits truly dared to say anything.

"If you keep talking nonsense, watch out, or this lady will rip your tongues out! I really like guys who haven't even grown all their hair yet!" Hua Yan Bu Jian turned, a hint of feigned anger in her eyes. She waved the whip in her hand, but it added little to her imposing aura, making her presence seem weaker instead.

"Cough..." Qian Jin cleared his throat. Regarding a matter of masculine dignity, he felt compelled to argue. "Miss Hua Yan, I must inform you that my hair is, in fact, fully grown."

The bandits fell momentarily silent. Only the sound of the driving rain striking the ground could be heard. Hua Yan Bu Jian's raised whip froze mid-air, as if struck by a petrification spell.

In an instant, a loud, messy burst of laughter erupted from the bandit ranks. Many bandits actually slumped over their saddles, repeatedly pounding their fists on the saddle bows.

"Captain, did you hear that? His hair is fully grown; you can make your move now."

"Yeah, Captain! If his hair is grown, you can start!"

"You... you guys...!" Hua Yan Bu Jian snapped her whip sharply in the air. "Are you really tired of living?" The bandits continued to laugh, but none dared provoke Hua Yan Bu Jian further; they merely kept chuckling. Hua Yan Bu Jian shot Qian Jin a resentful glare. "I came to tell you that in your current state, the four of you definitely won't make it out of this chaotic zone. Those scoundrels who usually sleep and wait for death in the stronghold are now like madmen, searching everywhere for you."

"Then..." Qian Jin glanced back toward the demon checkpoint. "Should I return? The scrutiny inside the demon ranks is likely even stricter than outside?"

"Return?" Hua Yan Bu Jian laughed. "If you go back, you'll only die faster."

For the first time, Qian Jin felt a pang of worry. The Dou Realm could only store inanimate objects. If he stuffed his companions inside, the demons might not kill them, but they could easily perish under his own unintentional neglect. However, taking them along meant they probably couldn't leave this lawless area. If he were alone, drawing on his experiences living in the Four Seasons Valley and surviving on the western slopes of the Endless World, he might stand a chance to fight his way out.

"Do you trust me or not!" Hua Yan Bu Jian suddenly demanded sharply. "Do you dare follow me!"

Qian Jin smiled. The Dark Division of the demons was an organization that never let a grudge go unsettled. Three members had been killed this time, plus the loss of a two-star operative. The fate awaiting them if captured would likely be something beyond the imagination of ordinary people! Right now, following this woman, Hua Yan Bu Jian, seemed like the only way to potentially guide the three heavily wounded companions out safely.

Otherwise... Qian Jin pursed his lips and glanced back at the straw where the three lay, including the devastatingly beautiful Chekefulit, whose beauty could make women jealous. He really didn't think she had taken a liking to him; if anyone was worth looking at, it would be the one lying in the hay. He still didn't know why she was helping him. Who cares! I need to survive this crisis first. Getting three heavily injured companions out safely was proving extremely difficult.

"There's nothing I don't dare," Qian Jin said, maneuvering his carriage toward Hua Yan Bu Jian. "It's just that I genuinely cannot comprehend why you would help me."

"Kid, didn't I just say—Ouch! Captain, I just had an incisor knocked out—"

"That incisor of yours was a fake," Hua Yan Bu Jian said coolly, retracting her whip. "You don't have a single real tooth in your mouth. If one flies out, so what?"

"Alas... people really shouldn't compare themselves to others..." The bandit shook his head on horseback, pounding his chest in feigned anguish. "I've followed the Captain for quite some time now. Look at this Little Bai... Little Hei... okay, fine... this little bronze-colored face."

"Liu Fu, if you don't want all your false teeth knocked out, just shut up. Didn't you see the Captain's whip about to strike again?"

"Alas... in this day and age, one cannot speak the truth," Liu Fu lamented sadly atop his horse.

"Enough with the questions!" Hua Yan Bu Jian spun her horse around and took the lead at the front of the group. "If you don't want to die, keep up with this lady!"

Qian Jin reached up to touch his chin and cheek, then looked back at Chekefulit, who was lying under the straw, her beauty breathtaking enough to incite jealousy in women. He shouldn't really be worried; if anyone was going to be noticed, it would be the one in the straw. He still didn't know why she was helping him. Never mind! Survive this crisis first. Escaping the chaotic lands with three seriously wounded companions was proving far too difficult.

Hua Yan Bu Jian rode ahead, guiding the group. She occasionally made various turns across the vast, empty Outer Region. If there were walls ahead, it would genuinely look like they were navigating a labyrinth.

"This is a private passage for the bandits," Liu Fu slowed his warhorse down to match pace alongside Qian Jin. "Normally, everyone can rob freely here, but when major events happen, every bandit group has established zones and routes. Whatever is encountered in whose zone belongs to them; that is the rule. Breaking the rules means war."

Qian Jin nodded, understanding. He began to realize why many famous literary works suggested that reading all the books in the world was less valuable than traversing the entire continent. The dynamics between these bandits couldn't be found in books. This was a new lesson, and fortunately, the bandits had such peculiar regulations. Otherwise, even Hua Yan Bu Jian and her subordinates might not be able to lead them out safely.

The rain continued without cease. Qian Jin gazed up at the sky. Had Fatty Luolin spotted him in trouble among the stars? Had he spent a fortune bribing the deity in charge of rain? Hmm! That fatty could certainly do that. If it weren't for this incessant downpour, they might have been discovered by the demons or other bandits long ago. The Outer Regions had mountains and water, and bandits had various types of hideouts.

Hua Yan Bu Jian’s contingent halted not far from a riverbank. Due to the torrential rain, the river had overflowed its banks. The surging water was immense, its roaring current sounding like ten thousand galloping horses, naturally emanating a unique, powerful majesty of nature.

Qian Jin paused slightly when the river blocked their path. His mind recalled the punch thrown by Nila, the Giant Demon Bloodline Warrior, that day. It bore a faint resemblance to the momentum of the river, yet it was far less overwhelming than this surging torrent. Creeeeak... Creeeeak... Creeeeak...

The sound of grinding metal turning slowly resonated through the roar of the river and the storm. The entire section of ground near the riverbank began to slowly tilt and rise to one side!

A massive slab of earth, fully six meters wide! Beneath it lay copper plates! Steel plates specially treated by a blacksmith to prevent rust!

The hideout was underground? Qian Jin smiled. These bandits were incredibly clever! People usually imagined bandit hideouts on mountaintops or in ravines, surrounded by thick wooden palisades. Who would suspect that bandits would place their sanctuary underground? Still, would the underground location have adequate ventilation? The smell must be terrible?